Digital rights management (DRM) is used to control the viewing and copying of digital files such as music recordings. For example, a musician may wish to sell digital copies of their music, but prevent the purchaser from distributing copies of the music. Likewise, DRM may be used to allow users to view a video over the Internet, but prevent them from saving a copy of the video. DRM is also useful for the protection of sensitive data within a company. For example, DRM for a computer file may be configured to allow access and copying by certain users, and to prevent access by all other users. Such uses of DRM to protect the intellectual property rights of owners of digital files have become widespread.
In a video monitoring environment including a number of video sources, DRM becomes much more complicated. For example, a video monitoring system may include a large number of cameras continually streaming video to a video processing system. Some of these cameras may capture sensitive information, while others only capture non-critical information. Still other cameras may pan into sensitive areas, while others may capture sensitive information periodically while normally capturing non-critical information. Configuring DRM for such a system is enormously complicated since the desired configuration not only varies from camera to camera, but also varies within the video stream from a single camera.
Overview
Digital rights management (DRM) of video data is selectively applied to video data by a video processing system that receives a video, comprising a number of frames, and processes at least one frame from the video to determine the contents of the video. The digital rights management for the video is then configured based on the contents of the video.
Configuring digital rights management may include prohibiting copying of the video. Processing at least one frame from the video may comprise detecting a location shown in the video, and configuring digital rights management for the video based on the location. Alternatively, processing at least one frame from the video may comprise detecting an object shown in the video, and configuring digital rights management for the video based on the object, which may include obscuring the object in the video.
Processing at least one frame from the video may comprise detecting an event shown in the video, and configuring digital rights management for the video based on the event, which may include obscuring at least a portion of the video during the event.
In another embodiment, a video processing system comprising an interface configured to receive video, and a processor electrically coupled with the interface is provided. The processor is configured to receive a video, comprising a plurality of frames, from the video interface, and process at least one frame from the video to determine the contents of the video. The processor then configures digital rights management for the video based on the contents of the video.
In a further embodiment, a computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for operating a computer system is provided. The instructions, when executed by the computer system, direct the computer system to receive a video, comprising a plurality of frames, process at least one frame from the video to determine contents of the video, and configure digital rights management for the video based on the contents of the video.